WATTS: Ice fishing fun warming up on Saginaw Bay

Photo by Tom Watts
Mark Martin, right and Logan Locke, 11, of Muskegon, were happy with the string of perch they brought up at the 7th annual Mark Martin Vacation Fishing School held on Saginaw Bay this week.

After a good night’s rest at America Inn in Bay City and a hearty 5:50 a.m. breakfast at Village Inn in downtown Linwood we set out Monday for the one-and-only Frank’s where we picked up last-minute items like minnows for walleye.

We arrived at Linwood Beach Marina where co-owner John Gorm informed us the ice fishing report was bleak on this particular day after a “crack” separated Saginaw Bay resulting in at least a dozen rescues over the weekend, including two ice fishermen plucked from ice floe by the U.S. Coast Guard just hours before we arrived.

But the greatness that is Mark Martin would not be denied.

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After a meeting of the minds, Martin simply went to Plan B. We loaded up our trucks and trailers and headed north, but not before another stop at Frank’s where we all gathered perch minnows and rumor had it – Ken’s 1 ½-inch hooks. Also picked up a new rod for just $5.99 and equipped it with Trilene 10-pound test line.

About a 15 minute trip up the road we arrived at Pinconning and its’ spacious Pinconning Park that covers 206 acres overlooking Saginaw Bay.

The rumble of snowmobiles filled the air as the students and guides taking part in Mark Martin’s 7th annual Vacation Ice Fishing School prepared for a day of ice fishing for perch.

Conditions were tough to say the least.

A 40 mph wind greeted us as we hooked our snowmobiles to Otter Outdoors Wild sleds, otherwise known as a one-stop 2-man, or woman, portable shanty that would prove to be our savior on this cold, blustery morning.

Before even getting to our destination at the Pinconning Bar about 2 miles into Saginaw Bay, we had to deal with melting water on top of the ice that formed slush and was just plain messy. Thankfully, my Ice Armor cold weather suit propelled all the elements.

For the first time, I realized how important it is to have the best protection possible when ice fishing. The Ice Armor suit is waterproof, which calmed me, and it was windproof, which saved me on this day.

Once at our destination – 100 yards from the “crack” in the ice that formed one night prior, my partner, Brandon Carpenter, a tournament pro from Rockwell, Iowa, immediately used a Strikemaster electric auger to forge three holes in the ice at about 12-inches thick.

We were in water depths of about 6 to 8 feet and quickly set up our Otter Sport over the holes and we were fishing. “See how quick we threw this up and now we’re out of the wind,” said Carpenter

A shanty village formed around us. Students like Wes Brubaker, 27, of Midland, who wanted to learn how to tie hooks. When he heard Martin – a consummate pro walleye angler and fishing guide from Twin Lakes – was hosting a school “it was a no-brainer.”

“Mark Martin was the main reason I came,” Brubaker said. “(But) because I love the outdoors – that’s my ecosystem out there. And it gets rid of stress. I’ve been waiting a long time for this.”

Leon LeBeau of St. Clair Shores said he attended Mark Martin’s Fishing Vacation School this week because he is willing to share his secrets.

“Mark is really willing to share,” LeBeau said. “We come to learn we’ve been doing all this stuff incorrectly.”

LeBeau said he and Dave LeFleur of Clinton Township went to a Lake St. Clair Walleye Association meeting where they listened as Martin provided a seminar. They were hooked.

“I came to increase my education,” said LeFleur. “Mark is the pro and I am the amateur - something as simple as ‘how to hook a minnow.’ Hook it between the dorsal fin and the tail. Or what type of swivel to use”

Martin said Monday he simply “wanted to catch some fish.”

And the students and the guides who fished on Monday struck gold. Most anglers went to jigging, while others had tip-ups working as well.

Norm Adams, 66, of Freeland has never missed a Vacation School in seven years. He had a combo going: a Ken’s spoon and a ‘Dead Stick,’ which he described as “an unattended stick with live bait.”

“I learn something every year,” Adams said. “Mark goes to places I would not normally go to. First, he is safe; second it’s a lot of fun; and third we catch fish. And it’s in that order of importance.”

Truth be told, I was apprehensive going out on Monday with unfavorable ice conditions, but that’s what Mark switched gears and brought us to a sweet perch spot in only 5 to 8 feet of water and far from the “crack.”

Everyone was catching fish. Folks who fished on Monday included Pat Bentley of Bear Lake, who is on Martin’s pro staff; and Russ Fimbinger of Marion, a gracious outdoors writer; and even Logan Locke, 11, of Muskegon, who turned out to be the big winner of the day.

“I was using a regular glow spoon with orange dots; a Buck Shot glow-in-the-dark,” said Logan who hauled in at least 15 yellow perch ranging in size from 8 inches to 12 inches.

“It was really fun,” said Logan, who was fishing with his father, Dan, brother, Eric, and a friend, Logan. “We were pulling up perch one after another.”

Yep, leave it up to Mark Martin to put smiles on everyone’s face.

“The students who were at this Vacation School were taught how to be safe, how to think and how to catch fish,” Martin said. “They learned more in bad conditions then they would have learned in good conditions.”

For more information on the next Vacation Fishing School, call (231) 740-6427 or www.fishingvacationschool.com.

Outdoorama trivia winners

Outdoorama is Feb. 21-24 at the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi, but first we need to get some winners out of the way.

Last week’s Outdoorama Trivia Contest question was: There are many different hunting and fishing licenses in Michigan. The cost of a restricted fishing license is $15 and an upgrade to an all-species license is an additional $13. Who can purchase an all-species license for $1?

The answer: A person serving in the military who maintains residency in Michigan, but is stationed out of state, according to page 4 of the 2012 Michigan Fishing Guide.

The Grand Prize winner of a prize package, which includes a rod and reel combo and a lure pack, valued at $100 is: Janine Gluski of Shelby Township.

Winners can pick up their tickets anytime during the show at the Show Box Office.

Outdoorama celebrates its 40th anniversary and Michigan’s most popular outdoor event is stacking up to be bigger and better than ever with new attractions and additional seminars geared towards conservation, recreation and education.

There will be nearly 100 free seminars featuring some of the top names the country offering tips and insight on hunting, fishing, food plotting and more. For more information, visit www.outdoorama.com or call (800) 328-6550.